Shock absorber



1. M. ma. SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED IULYI4| I92I.

Patented May 23,' 1922.

mains M. kann, or ennwsonnsvirnn, Inman-rn.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

` Application and July 1a,

'To all @07mm t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns M. Kenn, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Crawfordsville, in the county of` Montgomery, State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shock Absoi'bers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention. relates to shock absorber mechanism which is particularlyuseful and. elicient on automotive vehicles of the side `spring type.The important object of the invention is to provide a simple andinexpensive shock absorbing attachment which will eiiiciently take upand absorb the lesser and short vibration shocks during travel of thevehicle and which will eiiiciently smooth and pave the way for theOperation of the vehicle springs to take up` the heavier shocks. Anotherobject ofthe invention is to provide such construction and arrangementthat the recoil or rebound of the vehicle springs will be efficientlybraked, snubbed and absorbed. A further object of the invention is toprovide construction and arrangement which will permit attachment of theshock absorbing mechanism without interfering with the normal relativeposition of vehicle springs and without requiring rearrangement orreconstruction of' such springs or vehicle parts.

0n the accompanying sheet of drawing the construction, applicationand'operation of my improved shock absorbing` mechanism `is clearlyillustrated. Onjthe drawing- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of onecorner of a vehicle showing the shock abso-rbing mechanism applied tothe vehicle springs,

Fig. 2 is a plan view on plane 2 2, lFig. 1 and Fig. 3 .is a sectionalview on plane 3 3, Fig. 1.

On the drawing- 1() represents one oi: the metal side beams oi a'vehiclechassis and 11 represents the quarter ellipticv leaf spring secured atits butt end to the side beam by suitable clamping'bolts 19,. On theaide 13 is secured. the semi-elliptic leaf spring 141, this spring' atits outer end having the eye 15. The scroll end 16 of the quarterelliptic spring terminates in the eye 17 a short distance below theeyeof the axle spring. ln

"the original construction of the vehicle, the

eye ends of the springsare secured together by a shackle member, but forthe purpose of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented llay 23, 1922.

-andthen upwardly past and above the axle spring, its bifurcations orarms t being connected by elastic members in the form oi contractivesprings 18 with the lower ends of arms 19 extending from the Ll frame orbracket 2O which is secured to the vehicle body by means or' one of theclamping bolts 12 which secures the spring 11 to the chassis jframe. AttingEZl is secured on the end of the spring 14, this tting having thesides 22 between whichl the end of the spring` is received, these sidesat their outer ends being perforated to receive the bolt 23 whichextends also through the eye 15. To lock the iittingsecurely in place apin 24 is driven through the sides just above the spring at the innerend of the fitting. Suspended from the lower` inner end of the iittingis the link 25 which is pivoted to the inwardly extending section of thelever L a short distance inside of theV fulcrum point of the lever, andthis link may be the shackle which was taken from theivehicle to makeway for application of the shock absorbing mechanism. The vehicle bodyis thus suspended from the spring 1414 by means of the li1ik25 and thesprings 18 resist swing oit' the lever as the vehicle springs compressduri ng travel of the vehicle,l the bracket 20 being inwardly et' thelever ends.

As the vehicle travels over a roadway, the lesser and shorter vibrationshocks are practically al1 absorbed-by the springs 18 as the lever 'Lvibrates during compression of the Vvehicle. springs. The heavier andlonger viengage with the iitting and the vehicle y springs will thentake care of such recoil or rebound shocks. The fitting 21 has theabutment point 26 at its lower outer corner but during normal operationof the vehicle springs, the upper end of the lever will be a distanceinside of such point, and the ,lever and fitting will not engage.However, when the springs separate abnormally they will relax and thiswill cause shifting outwardly of the fulcrum end of the lever andshifting inwardly of the abutment point on the lit ting to bring thelever and point into register and engagement. This engagement willtherefore be effected before the vehicle springs have a chance toacquire detrimental rebound action andit gives the springs a chance togradually take on and smoothly brake and snub the recoil action. Bymeans of my attachment the lesser more disagreeable shocks areefficient-ly taken up by the shock absorber springs 18 and the vehiclesprings are better adapted to take care of the recoil or rebound action.

The lever could have only one arm, but it is preferable to provide twoarms, one at each side of the spring 14; and individual springconnection between the ends of each arm and the bracket 20. .Thisarrangement produces operation which is more balanced and which avoidsunequal friction.

Having described my invent-ion, l claim the following:

1. In a vehicle, the combination with the axle, a leaf spring secured tothe axle at right angles thereto and extending outwardly therefrom, ablock secured to the front end of said spring, the vehicle bodystructure, a leaf spring secured to said structure at its butt end andextending outwardly and terminating below said block, a ,lever fulcrumedat its outer end on the end of said body structure spring,.said leverextending inwardly and then upwardly past and above the axle spring alink pivoted on said block at the inner end thereof and pivoted to saidlever a distance inwardly of the lever fulcrum point, an elasticconnection between the upper end of said lever and the body structure,said elastic connection resisting swing of said lever during normaloperation of said vehicle, said block forming an abutment for thefiiilerumed end of said lever when said vehicle springs separateabnormally whereby the vehicle springs may rcsist and retard the recoilor rebound action.

spring, a block rigidly secured on said axle lspring and extending'inwardly a distance from the spring end, a lever fulcrumed at itsouter-end on the end of the upper spring and below said block, a linksupported on said block at the inner ends thereof and pivoted to saidlever. a distance inwardly from the fulcrum line of the lever, saidlever at its inner end extending upwardly and past the axle spring, ashook absorbing spring connecting the upper end of said lever with saidframe work inwardly of the lever, said block Vforming an abutment forthe fulcrum end of said lever when said vehicle springs abnormallyseparate.

3. In a vehicle, the combination of the axle, a semi-elliptic springsecured on said axle at right angles thereto, the vehicle framework, aquarter elliptic springsecured at its butt end on said vframework andextending parallelly over said axle spring and terminating below the endof said axle spring, the front end of said axle spring having an eye, ablock on the front end of said axle spring, a boltsextending throughsaid block and eye, a pin extending through said block and engaging with:said spring to assist said bolt in holding said block rigidly on saidspring, a lever fulcrumed at its outer end on the end of said upperspring, said lever extending' inwardly below said block and thenupwardly past and above the axle spring, a link pivoted on said block atthe inner end thereof and pivoted to said lever inside of the verticalline of the fulcrum point, a bracket secured on the vehicle framework,and a shock absorber spring connecting between said bracket and theupper end of said lever, the outer end of said block forming an abutment'for the fulcrum end of said lever when said vehicle springs separate.

1l. In a vehicle,the combination of the axle, a semi-elliptic springsecured on said axle at right angles thereto, the vehicle framework, aquarter elliptical spring secured at its butt endl on said framework andextending over said axle spring and terminating below the outer end ofsaid axle spring, a block secured to and extending a distance inwardlyfrom the outer end of said axle Spring, a lever fulcrumed at its outerend on the end of said upper vehicle spring, said lever extendinginwardly below said block and upwardly past the axle spring, a shockabsorber spring connected with said lever and extending inwardlytherefrom and secured to the framework, a link pivoted on said block atthe inner end thereof and pivoted on said lever inwardly of the verticalfulcrum line, an abutment point at the outer end of Said block, saidabutment point and fulcrum end of the lever being normally out ofvertical register but coming into vertical register when the springsabnormally separate whereby said abutment point will receive the fulcrumend of the lever and the vehicle springs will thereafter resist furlther separation thereof. Y

5. ln a vehicle, the combination with the axle, a leaf spring secured tothe axle and extending outwardly therefrom, a block secured to the frontend of said Spring, the vehicle body structure, a leaf spring secured tosaid structure at its butt end and extending outwardly and terminatingbelow said block, a lever ulcrumed at its outer end on the end of saidbody structure spring, a link extending from the inner end of said blockand pivoted to said lever a distance inwardly of its fulcrum point, anelastic connection between the inner end of said lever and the bodystructure, said elastic connection resisting swing of said lever duringnormal operation or' said Vehicle, and said block forming an abutmentfor the fulcrunied ends of said levers when said vehicle springsseparate abnormally, whereby the vehicle springs may resist and retardrecoil or rebound action.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 9 day of July, A.D. 1921.

JAMES M. KERK.

